Reviewer's Choice

Any collection strong in self-help guides will find Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of
Our Everyday Lives offers a powerful survey of approaches that really work to change ingrained
habits. These habits can be as varied as insomnia, struggling with weight loss programs, or
handling tendencies to procrastinate, and here Rubin examines the latest science and tests to
consider the origins of developing willpower, handling decisions, and changing ingrained
patterns. The result is a powerful survey that doesn't just present exercises for changing habits: it
considers the latest research on those habits and why they are so difficult to alter, and it offers
self-help collections a rare, specific examination into how to make these habit-altering changes a
part of everyday life.

What Would You Do?
John Quinones
Kingswell
125 West End Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York NY 10023
9781484726204, $15.99, www.disney.com

If What Would You Do? Words of Wisdom About Doing the Right Thing sounds familiar, that's
because it's based on a long-running ABC hit TV show of the same name, and offers a survey not
just of 'what would you do' moments, but host and author John Quinones' life. From how to react
to calls of action in everyday life, such as witnessing bullying or abuse, to what's involved in
moral and ethical dilemmas, this combines real-life stories with the author's perspective of the
changes that can be experienced from responding to situations in a more enlightened manner.
The result is revealing and involving, and highly recommended for any general lending
library.

The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

The Sound of Music Story
Tom Santopietro
St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9781250064462, $28.99, www.stmartins.com

The Sound of Music Story doesn't take your usual approach in considering the origins of the film
alone, but offers everything from the real-life story of Maria von Trapp to the show's evolution,
success, and behind-the-scenes stories of casting, the film's making and mishaps, its direction and
approach, and the reactions of the real von Trapps to the film's success. It includes new
interviews with actors, the movie's choreographer and film historians, Johannes von Trapp, and
adds a centerfold of black and white photos. The result is far more wide-ranging than most,
documenting the sources of the film's inspiration, what was involved in its shooting, and more.
Any fan of The Sound of Music will find this a solid and well-researched account containing
many facets other books on the subject don't provide.

The Geology Shelf

Any collection strong in U.S. geology needs Mineral Treasures of the Ozarks, a guide which
pairs some 500 color images of minerals with information on their collectability, science, and
where they can be discovered. It's unusual to find a gathering that will appeal both to mineralogy
scientists, travelers, and collectors alike, but this book offers a narrow focus upon minerals that
occur along the Ozarks' waterways, and is packed with stories about these minerals, their
attributes, and their discoveries. Particularly intriguing are displays of mineral combinations,
discussions of their showcase opportunities and how they can be enhanced, and the history of
mining deposits. It's the multi-faceted approach of this book that makes it such a highly
recommended acquisition, capable of reaching beyond the usual audience of mineral scientists
into the world of collectors and historians, alike.

The Social Issues Shelf

Battlefield America: The War on the American People provides a fine follow-up to his A
Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State, and comes from a constitutional
attorney who tells of a nation at war, internally, with forces near to destroying the basic freedoms
guaranteed in the Constitution. Police have been changing the nature of towns and cities across
the country, and the shift into totalitarianism has been so subtle that most Americans haven't been
aware of the change. This survey not only charts those changes, but shows how they have
evolved from individual actions to a far more insidious bigger picture, making this a 'must read'
for any collection strong in civil liberties and social awareness.

The Interior Design Shelf

While this catalog is directed to audiences interested in antiques and collectibles specific to the
merchandise of the late 19th century, it shouldn't be neglected by home designers who appreciate
incorporating elements of the past into their home designs - thus, it's featured here in our 'Interior
Design Shelf' so that neither audience misses its value. At one time making purchases used to
require numerous separate trip to specialist merchants, so Montgomery Ward's wide-ranging,
all-encompassing catalog appealed to many by providing all manner of products under one
convenient mail-order cover. Montgomery Ward & Co. Catalog & Buyer's Guide 1895 reprints
this classic guide, including the black and white illustrations from clothing departments, horse
and saddle equipment for riding, guns and curtain poles, and more. Readers who will find it
important range from those who like history and interior design oddities to collectors of antique
equipment.

The Gardening Shelf

Epic Tomatoes: How to Select & Grow the Best Varieties of All Time comes from a tomato
expert who reviews over thirty of his favorite varieties, pairing lovely color photos with
recommendations on how to grow them, and why they are exceptional. Big, bright color tomato
photos accompany a blend of history, cultivation techniques, and even how to breed varieties and
troubleshoot pests and problems. Gardeners with affection for tomatoes will find this a very
specific discussion: where others may generalize, this is packed with key pointers to gardening
success.

The Agriculture Shelf

Climate Change on Crop Productivity is a recommendation primarily for college-level
environmental science holdings, but should also be considered by any serious about farming and
agriculture and climate change's effects on crops. It provides a powerful exploration of how crops
adapt to climate change (or not), how new strategies can be considered for adapting to ongoing
climate change, and different mathematical models and future projections. Because of its depth
of treatment and math-based science, this book isn't recommended for general audiences so much
as those with scientific backgrounds and a special interest in crop management. With its many
scenarios, scientific research and backing, and insights on crop productivity factors, it's a 'must'
for understanding a range of possible scenarios.

Seed Libraries and Other Means of Keeping Seeds in the Hands of the People belongs in any
collection strong in food, gardening, agricultural studies, and the social issues revolving around
the seed market, and discusses how multinational corporations are trying to eliminate small,
family-run companies and injuring biodiversity in the process. Seed saving is the first step to
solving the problem, and Seed Libraries offers a guide to saving, storing, and sharing seeds
through community programs. While this book is packed with 'how to' examples, it also offers
detailed social insights on the importance of preserving not only seed libraries, but individual
freedoms in collecting and sharing seeds, and it encourages the kind of self-reliance that is key to
keeping this kind of control small scale and widespread. The result is a fine guide blending
how-to instructions with philosophy: a must for nay who would grow, harvest, and retain control
of food supplies.

Midwest Maize: How Corn Shaped the U.S. Heartland provides a fin history of how corn became
a staple of the human diet, and pairs history with insights into the political, economic and
scientific influences of corn's development. It comes from a food historian who considers these
various facets of corn's development and evolution, and it comes peppered with vintage black
and white photos which lend interest to discussions as wide-ranging as how popcorn was
developed and promoted, corn-growing challenges for organic farmers, and agricultural
challenges over the years. The result is a solid introductory history that covers many different
facets of corn production and marketing, recommended for any college-level collection strong in
agricultural history.

It should be noted that Philip Rutter, et.al.'s Growing Hybrid Hazelnuts: The New Resilient Crop
for a Changing Climate (9781603585347, $39.95) represents the first in-depth guide for
small-scale farmers interested in growing hybrid hazelnuts, a nut notorious for being problematic,
and thus affords an unusual opportunity for the small farmer to become involved in a new crop
that needs no plowing, cultivation, or extensive attention. Once established, its permanent root
system takes are of itself. Decades of research went into this book, which covers everything from
the historical use of hazels for food and fuel to site requirements, crop management, biodiversity
concerns, and much more. From planting to harvest, Growing Hybrid Hazelnuts is packed with
step-by-step color photos and everything needed to make a hazelnut operation a success. Josh
Trought's The Community-Scale Permaculture Farm: The D Acres Model for Creating and
Managing an Ecologically Designed Educational Center (9781603584753, $40.00) is powerful
guide that describes the history of the D Acres project and its roots in sustainable living and
small-scale organic production, and discusses how it serves as a model of information for
working with animals, designing buildings, and gaining maximum use from the land. From
constructing basic equipment to partnering with the community, chapters emphasize
collaborative choices, processes, and more, using first-person experiences and examples paired
with color photos throughout to examine how systems work together, interact, and support one
another. Strategies and developments for home, garden, and farm all join in a powerful treatment
highly recommended for any interested in applied permaculture concepts.

The Cookbook Shelf

A Girl and Her Greens: Hearty Meals from the Garden comes from a chef who follows up her
best-selling cookbook A Girl and Her Pig with 80 more recipes based on garden harvests, and
presents a passion for vegetables that is anything but your usual vegetarian cookbook. Greens
may be cooked with bacon, anchovies can provide that elusive extra flavor to a vegetable dish,
and different kinds of onions and mushrooms can add texture and flavors that are unexpected
delights. From using farmer's market and farm bounty to understanding the properties of raw
vegetables and how they translate differently when cooked, A Girl and Her Greens is an
outstanding cookbook which makes the most of fresh foods and garden harvests and is
recommended not as a vegetarian's guide, but as a celebration of vegetables.

United States of Cakes: Tasty Traditional American Cakes, Cookies, Pies, and Baked Goods
comes from a Swedish pastry chef with an unusual focus: using less sugar in his baked goods.
This might sound like an impossibility to many cooks who realize that the proper juxtaposition of
sugar in any given pastry is key to its success (or its failure); but Fares has created and tested all
the recipes in this cookbook, and revamps classic American desserts in a collection that will
particularly appeal to diabetics who want less emphasis on sugary creations. The author's
background studying baking in Europe and his journey to Los Angeles is reflected in a collection
that blends European baking methods with American favorites. Thus lemon meringue is
transformed into light cupcakes, red velvet cake assumes new inspiration with Sweet Lady Jane's
recipe, and Apple Pancakes require only 1/4 cup of sugar to prove successful. Some have more
sugar than others: it should be mentioned that the red velvet cake above contains a hefty dose on
par with its original creation. However, all are redone traditional creations in some manner,
which are paired with numerous appealing color photos throughout.

Hog: Perfect Pork Recipes from the Snout to the Squeak stands out from other pork cookbooks
in a number of ways. First, it celebrates all kinds of cuts, familiar and unfamiliar, and methods of
handling them, from grilling to brining, using chopped pork to making sausages. Many other
pork cookbooks touch lightly on these subjects, but this book goes whole hog and delves into
them in detail - so don't expect a light recipe collection. Cooks who seek depth from their
cookbooks will love both the detail and the inclusion of references to how some of the recipes
were invented and how they were adapted by other cooks. The second attribute of note is
full-page close-up color photos which offer artistic presentations of the pork dishes in their
completed form. The third is its wide-ranging inclusion of everything from pork popcorn to
international fare from carnitas to choucroute. The result is far more detailed than most, packing
in dishes home cooks will want to duplicate. All that's required is an affection for the pig and the
kitchen!

Pure Pork Awesomeness: Totally Cookable Recipes from Around the World is a celebration of
the pig - so if pork isn't desired, look elsewhere. It helps to have not just affection but a love for
pork, and this book shares all kinds of work dishes, from sandwiches and stews to stroganoff,
spareribs and more. Many of the dishes provide unusual ethnic influences and flavors, while Thai
Red Curry Pork, Sweet and Sour Pork, and Bacon Popcorn enhanced by bacon grease offer many
fine pork flavors. The result is a pork cookbook that celebrates all aspects of pork cookery in a
wide variety of dishes.

Chocolate: Sweet Science & Dark Secrets of the World's Favorite Treat joins a host of other
books on the subject, but stands out in providing a lively survey of chocolate's earliest uses in
Mesoamerica, its rise in Western culinary circles, and the efforts that led to its becoming an
industry and a home staple. Chapters focus on this history and blend in scientific and cultural
perspectives with a focus on the international development of chocolate and the evolution of
favorites, business pursuits, and the scientific properties of chocolate. Yes, other books provide
much of the same information - but in a less lively, interconnected format. The inclusion of
scientific and cultural details into the history makes this survey something different from another
culinary discussion.

Fed, White, and Blue: Finding America with My Fork comes from a British ex-pat living in L.A.
who decided to embark on a road trip across the United States to discover its regional food
history and current culture. His journeys took him to Massachusetts to learn about what the
pilgrims ate, to Kansas for a Shabbat dinner; to Alaska to fish for salmon. His discussions of
food culture, beers, farming, food banks and American culture offer up delicious, hilarious, and
thought-provoking insights into American food from a British perspective. The result will delight
two kinds of readers: those involved in American regional food culture, and those who appreciate
warm and spirited travelogues.

The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center Cookbook focuses on recipes that use wild edibles, and is
a lovely collection of some 200 recipes from the California-based farm and ecology center. The
dishes are arranged for seasonal use and provide vegetarian dishes that blend weeds, flowers,
fruits, mushrooms and others ingredients into the mix. A home garden is the first recommended
prerequisite for appreciating the approach of this book; the second is an appreciation for cooking
with weeds and ingredients from a home or community-based garden. There is much to enjoy,
here, from the many full-page color photos of plants and polished recipes to such dishes as Carrot
Chamomile Soup, Spiced Turnip Stew with Chickpeas and Turnip Green Yogurt Sauce, and
Slow-Roasted Sunchokes with Wild Mushrooms. The result is a lovely, appealing guide
gardeners and foragers alike will appreciate, packed with dishes not to be found in other
vegetarian cookbooks.

Cookie Craft: Baking & Decorating Techniques for Fun & Festive Occasions covers all the
basics for mastering techniques from basic to advanced for baking and decorating all kinds of
cookies for all kinds of purposes, and covers designs, tricks for professional-looking results, and
more. The idea is to take the mundane cookie and turn it into something exceptional: thus, cookie
recipes are designed to produce 'blank canvases' while tips range from acquiring and organizing
cookie cutters to creating gourmet or boutique icings, obtaining and organizing decorating
supplies, and turning cookies into centerpieces. The result is a powerful survey highly
recommended for cookie bakers who have some baking basics under their belts, but who want
more ideas for advanced applications.

The Wine/Spirits Shelf

Distilled: From Absinthe & Brandy to Vodka & Whiskey, the World's Finest Artisan Spirits
Unearthed, Explained & Enjoyed selects among the best-crafted, most interesting spirits to
explain what goes into each, from its ingredients and its traditions to how it's created, consumed,
and marketed. It contains discussions of the world's best examples of these creations, it surveys
the growing world of craft distillers and how now spirits are being invented, and it offers keys to
drinking them property and creating new kinds of cocktails. A combination recipe book and
history packed with color photos and fun 'how to enjoy' facts, Distilled is a recommendation for
any collection strong in wine and spirits discussions.

The Travel Shelf

Picnic in Provence: A Memoir with Recipes could also have been featured in our 'Food and
Wine' section, but is reviewed here because of its many travel and cultural insights into rural
French life. It's a fun travelogue punctuated with French recipes, and continues the story of a
New Yorker who followed a Frenchman to Paris and here finds herself with a baby on the way
and affection for French food. The couple journey to a tiny Provencal village as one of their last
pre-baby travels, where their discoveries of local history, culture, and food lead to a decision to
move to the French countryside to open an artisanal ice cream shop. The ideal reader will be one
with a prior affection for French culture and cooking, who is intrigued by French experiences and
who wants a selection of unusual regional dishes along the way.

Almost Sleeping My Way to Timbuktu: West Africa on a Shoestring by Public Transport With
No French comes from a traveler who planned to inform himself about Francophone Africa on
the fly, as he visited the countries, and provides an engrossing saga of cultural encounters and
journeys that's unparalleled in a genre filled with travel stories. He had many grand ideas - visit
five World Heritage Sites listed by UNESCO, journey through Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, and
more, and do so via public conveyances. His first-person saga of language barriers, cultural
revelations, and African encounters paints a vivid portrait of daily life in contemporary African
nations and the challenges of touring without French in French-speaking countries, and makes for
a fine armchair read for any who would enjoy high adventure and cultural insights.

The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Perfect Metabolism Plan: Restore Your Energy and Reach Your Ideal Weight offers the
ideal of a perfect metabolism and then pairs this goal with the reality of how to achieve it,
providing key points for fixing metabolism issues ranging from food intolerances and digestive
issues to too many toxins. Chapters pair these insights with keys on how to exercise smarter,
recognize the deeper ramifications of inactivity, how to understand daily feeling fluctuations such
as an unexplained lack of energy, and more. The result is a powerful plan designed to address all
aspects of health and diet, highly recommended for any interested in taking control of
health.

The Probiotic Promise: Simple Steps to Heal Your Body from the Inside Out comes from a
health and wellness expert who presents the latest research on the healing powers of probiotics
and blends this research into a plan of action consumers will find easy to follow. Probiotics are
normally associated with digestive issues but they can also improve other conditions, from
allergies and depression to cancer. This covers all the options, what to look for in probiotics, how
to tell of cultures are really "live", and more, and presents a far more expansive view of the
nature, promise, and research surrounding probiotics than most books offer.

The Political Science Shelf

Inside Reagan's Navy: The Pentagon Journals comes from an assistant to VP George W. Bush,
and who decided to vacate his plush White House position to become a deputy assistant secretary
of the Navy in 1983, and "Inside Reagan's Navy: The Pentagon Journals" follows his experiences
and encounters with the Pentagon during the Reagan years. It's a lively view of not just Naval
operations but Washington politics of the era, injecting a dose of humor into its social and
political observations of his office and its interactions at the highest levels of government. With
its blend of lively, personal encounters and political process, Inside Reagan's Navy is a pick for
any who would learn more about how the Navy works, is managed, and how it interacts with
other government offices.

The International Studies Shelf

The Burma Spring: Aung San Suu Kui and the New Struggle for the Soul of a Nation is a 'must
have' reference for any collection serious about Asian politics, and comes from an award-winning
journalist and former State Department speechwriter who offers new details about Novel Peace
Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who introduced democracy to Burma. She was living in
England with no desire to enter politics but she always intended to return to her homeland,
should it ever need her. As the daughter of the late general Aung San, she quickly found herself
embroiled in civil strife when she did return to Burma, and was imprisoned in her Rangoon home
for fifteen years of struggle before securing her own freedom and influencing the course of the
nation. From her friendships with American women in politics to her pivotal involvement in
Burma's drive for independence, The Burma Spring is an in-depth story of both Kui's life and of
her nation, and is a 'must' for any who would understand either.

The Christian Studies Shelf

Passion: Contemporary Writers on the Story of Calvary is edited by Oliver Larry Yarbrough and
gathers a fine collection of insights that blends personal encounters with Gospel to cover the
Passion. Five American writers use these narratives in ways that are designed to draw inquiring
Christian thinkers to understand different interpretations of the Passion in everyday life. From a
visit to the sites of Holy Week to an author's memories of the Stations of the Cross, this is
presents an outstanding series of insights into how Christian thinking and Gospel stories relate to
modern Christian lives, and is a top recommendation for any Christian thinker.

All the Places to Go: How Will You Know? is all about enjoying life and getting out of a rut -
with the help of God. Life isn't just an 'open door', however, it's an invitation provided by God to
act with and for God - and this book tells how to adopt change and spiritual paths as part of this
process. Chapters from a pastor identify these places where God can be observed, and teaches
how to identify the divine potentials of everyday living. The result is a solid reference that is
lively, conversational, and filled with insights on the appropriate places to recognize God in daily
life, and the appropriate responses to God's invitations and presence.

The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Lucid Dreaming Plain and Simple: Tips and Techniques for Insight, Creativity, and Personal
Growth provides tools to beginners interested in the concept and achievement of lucid dreaming,
which involves consciously directing actions experienced in the dream state, and is
recommended for any who would conduct personal explorations of the subconscious mind. It
packs in tips from scientific research and techniques geared to exploring through altered states of
awareness, and it embarks on a journey through dream figures, stabilizing dream states and
scenarios, and more. Any who would direct their dreams rather than being direct by them will
find this an easy introduction to all kinds of options.

Talking Story: One Woman's Quest to Preserve Ancient Spiritual and Healing Traditions comes
from a woman who has found peace in exploring the spiritual traditions and healing practices of
different cultures around the world, observing that these traditions are rapidly vanishing as elders
pass. Hers is not just a travel memoir or a story of personal spiritual awakening, but a survey of
how this ancient wisdom may be preserved and the discoveries that led to her becoming a healer
herself. Based on an award-winning film of the same name, Talking Story provides an invitation
to grow and learn and, in itself, preserves the very traditions it investigates, making for a top pick
for new age, health, and spirituality collections alike.

Readers of Light Atonement should, most definitely, be new age followers and spirituality
readers, as this audience will relish the powerful story of how Ariyana develops her abilities,
using psychics, crystals and other methods of channeling, to travel to other dimensions in search
of enlightenment. More than just an experiential survey, Light Atonement tells of a mission and
how Ariyana learns about her purpose and path in life, and considers such diverse subjects as
how a fifth-dimensional world differs from ours, how other channelers and belief systems
interact with her own, and how she comes to face gods and her own hidden destiny. Light
Atonement is an excellent blend of memoir and insight into how transcendence is achieved on
many levels: a compelling story of one woman's journey, business, and expanding spiritual
views.

Paula Rosenfeld's The Oneness Blessing: How Deeksha Can Help You Become Your Authentic
Self, Heal Your Relationships, and Transform the World (9781601633613, $14.99) provides a
fine survey packed with new age spiritual reflection and considers the global idea of the Oneness
Blessing, also known as Deeksha, a transfer of energy from one person to another. Deeksha
activates the frontal lobe of the brain and deactivates the parietal lobe, offering a shift in brain
function that leads to increased awareness and bliss. This discusses the process, its benefits, its
affect on inner perception and resistences, and how it may be used in daily life, and is
recommended for any who want more specific information on how Oneness Blessing works, and
how it may be translated to modern life. Marie D. Jones and Larry Flaxman's Mind Wars: Who's
Been Watching You From the Shadows? (9781601633583, $15.99) details mind control methods
and techniques from ancient to modern times, and is for any who want an understanding of
human behavior and conspiracy. The desire to control thoughts and behaviors is a long-held goal
that was evident in the earliest of cultures and in science that didn't work. Mind Wars captures all
these efforts under one cover, considers everything from mental manipulation techniques to
reprogramming efforts and psychic intervention, and documents all kinds of surveillance. The
result is a hard-hitting examination that new age readers, in particular, will find wide-ranging and
thought-provoking - for those who still have minds with which to think.

David Ian Cowan's Seeing Beyond Illusions: Freeing Ourselves from Ego, Guilt, and the Belief
in Separation (9781578635740, $16.95) uses the basics of A Course in Miracles to consider how
lines of separation form and may be broken to free us from subconscious messages that lead
away from the Source, and is a recommendation for psychology and new age holdings alike. It's
about letting go the need to control and embracing forgiveness of self and others to make greater
connections, and its ultimate purpose is to take the basics of A Course in Miracles and relate
them to daily lives. The result is a solid recommendation for any who already know about the
Course and want more insights into its applications. Orion Foxwood's The Flame in the
Cauldron: A Book of Old-Style Witchery (9781578635368, $16.95) provides a powerful witch's
account of sorcery and reveals, for the first time, some of Foxwood's personal rituals and spells.
It also describes a vast change among the Pagan and Witchcraft communities which moves away
from ritual and goes back to what it means to be a healer and protector and practitioner of
magical arts. Chapters follow the 'blood boiling' of the author's inner spirit and transmit the
essence of what it means to be a witch in modern times: a personal journey that will delight
pagan readers.

The Sports Shelf

Fitness Running: 78 Workouts from the Mile to the Marathon appears in its third updated edition
to provide a combination of personalized workouts and expert advice, and teaches how to use
proven programs that are color coded, customizable, and which span 13 to 26 weeks to cover the
basics of fitness training both for short events and long-range marathons. Each workout allows
readers the flexibility of tailoring training to schedules, while the new edition includes
individualized testing for assessing running health, logging runs, and more.

The Computer Shelf

iOS for Game Programmers examines mobile game development and is directed to beginning
Objective-C programmers, offering tools for creating a number of quick projects and small
games to teach the basic applications of iOS. Each project teaches a basic skill and then builds
upon it with the next project, which enables learners to embark on a logical system of learning
through experience. Five game projects include a puzzle, a game of pong, and a "whack-a-mole"
game, and includes details on how iOS works, along with information on various versions
including the latest iOS8 for iPhone and iPad. The result is a collection of keys to understanding
game programming and iOS like, and is a recommendation for those just starting out.

Michelangelo Manrique's Blender for Animation and Film-Based Production (9781482204742,
$59.95) explores why Blender is perfect for animation film efforts, and shows how it can do a
variety of jobs in each production department. Both newcomers to Blender and advanced users
will find this reference packed with keys on incorporating Blender into a film project, from
understanding its different stages and techniques to how studios develop animation projects using
Blender. Black and white screen shots, color examples, and plenty of illustration throughout
make for a guide that supports film-based pursuits. J.D. Glaser's Secure Development for Mobile
Apps: How to Design and Code Secure Mobile Applications with PHP and JavaScript
(9781482209037, $59.95) provides a step-by-step survey of how to blend security measures into
social apps running on mobile platforms, and teaches the basics of design and code with security
as a part of the process. From PHP security practices and project layout templates to encryption
and guidelines for creating secure sessions, this isn't for the beginner, but for the IT professional
who has some PHP and MySQL development under his belt, and who wants insights on how to
apply software best practices to mobile security processes. Cristina Videira Lopes's Exercises in
Programming Style (9781482227376, $39.95) offers the basics for programmers interested in
attacking a common programming problem by learning different programming styles; each with
its own approaches, pros, and cons. Programming styles are typically difficult to teach and only
through side-by-side comparison over a common denominator - as in Exercises in Programming
Style - do results of these styles begin to make sense. With its clear comparisons and rare ability
to cross-compare, this book goes where few others dare, making it a top recommendation for any
programmer looking to understand different styles, how they work, and why to choose one over
another. Nicholas Bernhardt Zeman's Essential Skills for 3D Modeling, Rendering, and
Animation (9781482224122, $59.95) is a rare guide written for the non-technical mind, and
considers 3D computer-generated art, how it works in animation and art works, and how the
three basics of 3D - rendering, modeling, and animation - work together to create exceptional
pieces, when used property. Chapters discuss both basic concepts and the skill sets needed to
become a 3D artist, with step-by-step instructions accompanying examples and projects
beginners can use to learn the basics of 3D art. Black and white (and a selection of color)
examples throughout answer "how do I create" questions about special effects, and accompany a
discussion highly recommended for any aspiring 3D artist looking for a basic introduction on the
subject.

The Business Shelf

The Reconnected Leader: An Executive's Guide to Creating Responsible, Purposeful and
Valuable Organizations considers and sets forth new models for practices designed to help
business leaders reconnect with teams and stakeholders alike, and uses case studies from
international big businesses from Canon and IKEA, among others, to discuss how leader-driven
solutions can bring business transformation and change. Norman Pickavance has held numerous
high-level roles in big international organizations from Dell to Fujitsu: his involvement in their
turnarounds and his approach to business management presents a structured model for change
that's been tested under real-world, big-business conditions. From connected talent environments
to building better boards, no business leader should be without this consideration of newer, better
approaches.

Sean V. Bradley, CSP's Win the Game of Googleopoly: Unlocking the Secret Strategy of Search
Engines (9781119002581, $25.00) is packed with all the information needed to move and keep
one's site on the first page of Google's search results, and comes from an internet expert who
goes beyond the usual updated discussion of how Google works to present a strategy that shows
how to gain more page views to boost one's position. Plenty of books have been written on
Search Engine Optimization, but this is one of the few to analyze what Google is looking for,
how to get at the top of its search algorithm, and how to incorporate a specific strategy to
enhance one's online presence. The result is a top recommendation for any business looking to
not just understand the latest optimization routines, but how to incorporate them into an overall
plan of action. Savio Chan and Michael Zakkour's China's Super Consumers: What 1 Billion
Customers Want and How to Sell It To Them (9781118834749, $25.00) blends original research
with case studies and the authors' own experiences helping companies sell to Chinese consumers,
and explains the psyche and buying patterns of the Chinese consumer, who is selling to them, and
what they are purchasing. Businesses who envision tapping into this market must have this book:
Chinese consumers, by sheer volume, are changing global trade and consumption patterns, and
are changing how products are branded, sold, and marketed. From e-commerce to manufacturing,
this survey reaches into all areas of Chinese markets and is a 'must' for any who would
understand Chinese consumer actions and their world-wide, game-changing aspects.

The Philosophy Shelf

Steve Jobs and Philosophy: For Those Who Think Different gathers the thoughts of nineteen
philosophers who consider Steve Jobs from different points of view, ranging from business
thinkers to philosophers and more. Here is a satisfying focus not so much on Jobs' life and
achievements, but the underlying philosophy driving his choices in general and his business
approach in particular. Chapters link his creations and approach to our daily life and social
change, and offer a rich gathering that will hold up well in debate classes and appeal to business
thinkers alike.

The Education Shelf

Andrea Honigsfeld and Maria G. Dove's Collaboration and Co-Teaching for English Learners: A
Leader's Guide (9781452241968, $31.95) is all about schools with diverse populations that
succeed through the specific approach of collaborations and partnerships, and offers a program to
Pre-K-12 teachers who want to use these methods to improve their approaches. The ELL
population continues to grow and thus presents challenges for educational leaders. This book
offers one solution to the problems: a resource that compiles methods with the latest research
findings on the best instructional approaches for ELLs. Chapters include leadership vignettes,
discussions of team and individual professional collaborative practices, and more, and makes for
a powerful survey of verified methods and tested ideas that are perfect for ELL teachers. Jim
Burke and Barry Gilmore's Academic Moves for College and Career Readiness Grades 6-12
(9781483379807, $30.95) packs in fifteen skills that college-bound students must achieve, and is
a 'must' for any education reader where college is in the bigger picture. From analytical and
debate skills to how to integrate concepts, interpret and organize them, and more, these fifteen
words are designed to promote thinkers in the classroom, and offers keys to learning these
moves. Secondary curriculum, text and more are provided to help develop lesson structures and
assignments, making for a powerful key to academic success for college-bound students and for
those heading into business careers. Russell J. Quaglia and Michael J. Corso's Student Voice:
The Instrument of Change (9781483358130, $29.95) is for any student or educator looking for
keys to creating partnerships, and tells how to engage students in decision-making and school
and classroom improvement processes. It provides a framework for such questions, is packed
with examples from student surveys, focus groups, and interviews, and provides a resource
educators can use to not only foster better relationships with students, but encourage them to
assume a role in their own educational process. The result is a fine pick for any education reader.
Excellence Through Equity by Alan M. Blankstein and Pedro Noguera, et.al. (9781483392783,
$36.95) provides a fine set of examples of educational equity in action in schools, and shows
how equity is the only real path to achieving real student excellence and motivating students at
all levels to succeed. It picks ideas from award-winning scholars and practitioners, pairs these
strategies with case studies from multicultural K-12 settings, and synthesizes a series of
classroom practices that are packed with insights and formulas nearly guaranteeing success. The
result is a solid reference that promotes educational equity in a way few others have provided: a
must for any educator's collection. Abigail Norfleet James' Teaching the Male Brain: How Boys
Think, Feel, and Learn in School (9781483371405, $39.95) discusses gender differences and
learning, considering the latest studies that relate to cognition and discussing the pros and cons of
single-sex classroom learning. It provides the latest strategies for reaching boys with ADHD and
social and emotional challenges, pairs case studies and classroom scenarios from the real world
with discussions of how male brains work differently and how to reach them, and includes
content-specific discussions teachers will find key to tailoring curriculum to the male mind.

The Needlecraft Shelf

Fast-Piece Applique: Easy, Artful Quilts by Machine teaches how to create three-panel quilt
designs using Rose's Fast-Piece Applique method, and is a pick for both newcomers to quilting
craft and those who want different, original inspirations. Some eleven patterns from this designer
teaches the basics of how to work with an image, blend them into a quilt, and incorporate
influences form nature into a quilting project. Patterns, color photos throughout, and charts
showing pattern and fabric pieces accompany clear directions from beginning to end, lending to
an intriguing survey perfect for newcomers who look for inviting projects and new ideas that
lend to quick, easy machine work.

The Literary Studies Shelf

River Song: Naxiyamtama (Snake River-Palouse) Oral Traditions from Mary Jim, Andrew
George, Gordon Fisher, and Emily Peone should be in any Native American collection, and
presents a solid gathering of oral histories from the original Snake River-Palouse people who,
despite being forced to scatter, maintained their oral traditions. Over three decades, four elders
told researchers their stories: River Song is the result, discussing spirituality, sacred lands, and
beliefs and preserving a fading tradition. No Native American history collection should be
without this example of what oral tradition means.

Background Modeling and Foreground Detection for Video Surveillance is recommended for
advanced computer scientists and engineers, but is reviewed here for its value as a reference for
any collection strong in either subject. It blends established protocols and new ideas into a review
of the concepts, algorithms, and applications key to background modeling and foreground
detection methods, and assembles technical writings from leaders in the field who discuss a
variety of challenges. It addresses solutions to problems, provides top methods for detecting
moving objects in video surveillance, includes a healthy dose of statistics and mathematical
algorithms, and provides the latest models, processes, implementations and industry standards.
The result is a powerful survey highly recommended for any technical reference collection.

The Money/Finance Shelf

Any who find themselves puzzled over the benefits social security offers to families will find this
a solid book - and if you think the subject doesn't deserve a complete coverage, think again. It
starts with the basics of the program and then tells how to apply for the benefits, collect them,
and navigate the puzzles of the Social Security Administration. From rules covering spousal and
disability benefits to understanding how Medicare factors into the system, this is a 'must' for any
who would understand the system and, especially, how to make the most of its available
benefits.

The Photography Shelf

Lori Nordstrom's Maximizing Profits: A Practical Guide for Portrait Photographers
(9781608958511, $34.95) comes from the owner of a studio and the founder of PhotoTalk.biz,
and is directed to photographers who have the basics down and who want to build their
photography business. It offers a step-by-step plan towards this process, covering the basics of
creating and defining a photography niche, gaining the right kinds of clients, establishing an
image and brand and then organizing a marketing campaign towards it, and gaining more
referrals. Where other books would focus on business generalities, Maximizing Profits offers
many specifics on what works in photography marketing and what doesn't - and why. The result
is a guide packed with insights that apply specifically to building a photo business: a 'must' for
any who are interested in not just the basics, but making the most of a photography pursuit.
Michael Fagans' The iPhone Photographer: How to Take Professional Photographs with Your
iPhone (9781608958870, $27.95) narrows the photo process to the iPhone specifically, offering a
step-by-step assessment of images and how they can be shot or enhanced. From using lighting
and posing - basics of professional photography - to exploring the technical aspects of how the
author achieved special effects, this offers a thorough review of what can be done with the
iPhone camera and how. From self-portraits to airplane window shots, shots off the water to
action sports shots, this is a powerful survey highly recommended for any iPhone owner
interested in superior photography results.

The Music Shelf

The Nashville Sound: Bright Lights and Country Music discusses the clash of culture and music
in Nashville and comes from a journalist who considers the evolutionary process of and changes
between the traditional Nashville sound and its artists and venues and modern times, and is a
'must' for any who would understand Nashville's progressions. It was originally published in
1970 and here continues to show how Nashville influenced the music world, documenting its
many unique approaches and features. Any who would understand not just country music but pop
music and its supporters and influencers will find The Nashville Sound: Bright Lights and
Country Music continues to provide a fine history.

The Audiobook Shelf

Beyond Willpower: From Stress to Success in 40 days comes from a psychological counselor
who reveals a program to help combat stress and internal barriers to success. New research shows
that fear is programmed into humans at the cellular level - which is why willpower often doesn't
achieve the succession of stress. This book teachers how to change this programming by
replacing fear with love, building a series of chemical changes that work to thwart stress. The
result is a 'must' for any who would embark on a self-help program designed to reduce stress and
profile success, and shines in the audio account.

BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Ophthalmology provides a newly updated third edition of
a popular veterinary subject matter, and represents an in-depth revision and update that any
collection holding the previous edition must have. It considers the clinical techniques related to
canine and feline ocular examination, diagnostic imaging, lab tests, and treatments, and packs in
anatomy, diseases, and common clinical situations. Color sidebars include diagnosis information,
while color photo close-ups of animal eye conditions supplement text that considers traumas and
options. Extensive bibliographic references round out each chapter, making this a key reference
no veterinary collection should be without.

The Fiction Shelf

Orhan's Inheritance opens with a bang: Orhan's eccentric grandfather, who built an empire from
making kilim rugs, is found dead in a vat of dye, and so he inherits the business - even though the
will states that the bulk of assets goes to an aging woman who lives thousands of miles away, in
a retirement home in Los Angeles. Who is she, what relationship did she have to his grandfather,
and why did he leave their shared home to a stranger outside the family? Orhan's journey to Los
Angeles in search of answers raises more questions about a close-held secret and a story that, if
revealed, could unravel not only his future, but his family. The story moves between the last
years of the Ottoman Empire and the 1990s, and provides a complex, evolving story that is
satisfyingly detailed and involving, highly recommended for any reader interested in good
literature.

The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Kittens Can Kill provides a fine Pru Marlowe pet mystery as it tells of an animal behaviorist who
finds a kitten playing beside the newly-deceased body of a prominent lawyer. The possibilities
are endless as his three adult daughters begin to feud over his estate even as their dead father's
demise remains a mystery. Pru's sensitive to animals is yet another problem - and animals keep
on turning up in the case. From an animal psychic to what the cat knows, this is a well-done,
absorbing story that will engage any with an affection for animals and mystery.

The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Fields of Wrath continues the Remshai saga begun in two previous trilogies decades ago and is
set eighteen years after The Children of Wrath ended. Here three sons of Kevral Tainharsdatter
are done with war after having won back the Fields of Wrath, but even as survivors begin to
rebuild home and spirit, a new enemy enters the picture. Expect another detailed epic of battle,
new opponents, dilemmas, and strife that threatens to undue everything gained in the Fields of
Wrath in an epic saga especially recommended for prior fans of the Remshai saga who wish for
more.

Grantville Gazette VII provides sequels to 1632, in which a cosmic accident sets the modern
West Virginia town of Grantville in a war-torn 17th century Europe, and it fills in areas of his
'Ring of Fire' series as it explores supporting characters, side action, and more. A familiarity with
the prior books in the series is, thus, a prerequisite for the successful appreciation of this
collection, which provides a lively set of vignettes and tales that juxtapose well with the primary
books in the series and fill in many gaps with new stories and new information.

The Graphic Novel Shelf

Red: A Haida Manga combines Native American Haida fine art traditions with a manga-style
graphic novel approach, which creates an unusual reference that brings a Haida oral story to life.
It documents the story of a leader blinded by revenge, who nearly destroys his community, and it
appears in a new paperback version to provide collections with a powerful and different approach
to folk art, Native American and manga style applications. With its excellent-quality full-page
color illustrations and its graphic novel format, this is a wide-ranging collection suitable for all
kinds of readers and collections.

The World History Shelf

Daughters of the Samurai: A Journey from East to West and Back documents the 1871 journey of
five young girls who were sent to the U.S. by the Japanese government. They were instructed to
learn Western ways so they could return and offer insights to Japanese leaders - but raised in
traditional samurai households during the Japanese civil war, these girls became celebrities upon
their arrival in the U.S., and came to be admired for the relationships they formed and their
involvement in another culture. Their return to Japan ten years later proved a challenge, and they
introduced new ideas to their homeland on women's education and freedom. This history belongs
in any collection strong in women's issues and history, and is a lively account of cross-cultural
encounters.